Is there a better place to begin a months-long sports trip than Cooperstown? I doubt it. Home to the Hall of Fame, Cooperstown's Main Street is crammed with memorabilia shops, baseball-themed eateries (the Short Stop Diner comes to mind), and Doubleday Field. According to legend, that's where the first baseball game was played; too bad no one except the starriest-eyed Cooperstown tourism official really believes that story.

Day 1: Arlington to Cooperstown
Mileage Today: 246.3
Cooperstown Weather: 84°, sunny
States: Massachusetts, New York
Roads Traveled: Route 2 west to Lexington, Route 128 south to Waltham, Mass Pike west to the NY border, NY Thruway west to Schnectady, I-88 south to Duanesburg, Rt. 20 west to Springfield, Rt. 80 south to Cooperstown.

The Hall of Fame has a good website. They have online exhibits like this one on the 1951 " Shot Heard 'Round the World", a special on the 3,000 hit club and one on baseball during World War II. Their online gift store is cool; perhaps in honor of Bud Selig, they seem to be selling lots of ties.

If you're in Cooperstown and can stand to get away from baseball for a while (why?!?), the Farmers' Museum in town is a recreation of an 1840's upstate New York village. Secret Caverns is reportedly staffed with endearingly loopy tour guides (Roadside America has a great review), and just south of town is a Corvette Museum.

Cooperstown is named after the father of author James Fenimore Cooper. I've never been able to finish one of his books, but whatever works for you.